TELECAST AND RADIO: The ceremony was telecast live in the net. Click below to watch recorded video on YouTube. (Click here to see the opera libretto.)

The ceremony was recorded also for later broadcast on NPR's "Science Friday" program.

THEME: Every year, the ceremony has a new theme. (The theme pertains to some of the goings-on at the ceremony, but not necessarily to any of the year's prize-winning achievements). This year's theme was INTELLIGENCE.

ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: In addition to the awarding of the Prizes, the ceremony was jam-packed with a variety of momentously inconsequential events. Chief among them:

The Great Intelligence Debate, to determine which of the debaters is the smartest person in the world. Participants included top scientists, politicians, musicians, etc. Here is the rundown:

Ray Kurzweil - "inventor of the reading machine for the blind, and the Kurzweil Music Synthesizer, author, and philosopher"vs.Paul Berman -- "The smartest Harvard undergraduate, selected as such in a random drawing"

Jerome Lettvin, "MIT biologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, and philosopher" vs.Ten members of MENSA, "the international society for people with high IQs"

Dean Kamen, "inventor of the IBOT personal motion device, founder of the national robotics competition for high school students, and philosopher." vs. A team of three Nobel laureates

Jamil Mahuad -- "former president of the Nation of Ecuador, and philosopher."vs.Leonid Hambro - "former principal pianist of the New York Philharmonic, former touring partner of Vicor Borge, and philosopher."

Each round pitted one individual against another

Each round lasted thirty (30) seconds; the time limit was enforced by professional referee John Barrett.

In each round, both debaters had to talk at the same time

Each round was be scored by the Nobel Laureates, who held aloft cards that inicated the IQ of the winner

The winner was a nine-year-old girl who was introduced into the competiton at the last moment.

"The Brain Food Opera," a new mini-opera performed by professional opera singers and Nobel Laureates

Appearances by past Ig winners Don Featherstone (creator of the plastic pink flamingo) and Hyok-Ho Kwon (inventor of the self-perfuming business suit).